Sun girl in TV music gameshow

Would it be a matter of The Winner Takes It All or I’m a Loser Baby?

As the minutes counted down to my first television game show appearance, my nerves started getting the better of me and I could feel my heart pounding.

The bright glare and heat of the Fresh TV studio lighting was also a bit nerve-wracking.

Did my hair look okay, and what about my make-up? What would I look like on television and how would I come across?

Being a music fan, I was excited to be picked as a contestant on Bermuda’s first music quiz show, Songopoly.

But waiting for the cameras to roll was the worst part.

It took a while to get everyone into place, with a two-hour delay caused by one contestant failing to turn up and another having to take his place at short notice.

Then there were some ‘technical difficulties’ with the microphones.

But, as we prepared for filming, hosts Ric Chapman and Bruce Barritt helped to put us all at ease with a bit of light-hearted banter.

Fellow contestants Cindy, from the US, and Mike, from Bermuda, were also friendly and laid-back, which helped to ease some of the nerves.

Ric outlined the rules to us, explaining the first person to hit the buzzer with the correct answer would chalk up $25 on their scoreboard.

Gamble

Then there were the ‘gamble’ questions. These are probably the most exciting in the show, because if you are losing you can easily catch up on the winner, and vice versa.

Before the show starts you choose a number up to $100, which is how much you are prepared to risk losing or winning.

There is a bounty of prizes on the show ranging from $50 gas and $100 grocery vouchers to meals in restaurants and cinema tokens.

If you are lucky enough you might even win a cell phone or a watch.

You can also walk away with your height in bottled water, thanks to sponsor Barritt’s.

I just hoped to get some questions right and possibly win one of the $100 Lindo’s vouchers to help with the grocery bills.

But as the credits started to roll and the adrenaline kicked in, my over-enthusiasm got the better of me and I was ‘pinging’ away on the buzzer.

With its series of quick-fire rounds, Songopoly is great fun.

Ric, the show’s creator and executive director, describes it as a cross between Jeopardy and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

The overall winner can walk away with their cash, but not before they are offered a chance to come back and defend their title.

Everyone is a winner, however, and walks away with a prize from one of the show’s various sponsors.

Money is also donated to the Bermuda Diabetes Association, the Blood Donor Centre and the Coalition for the Protection of Children.

The 24 episodes of Songopoly began airing this week on VSB-TV and Fresh TV. They will be screened on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Amanda can be seen in the second episode tonight, at 7:30pm on Channel 3, Fresh TV, or at 8pm on Channel 11, VSB-TV.